ESPN Analysts predict the Lions will have a top 10 offense again in 2023
ESPN analyst, and maybe closeted Lions fan, Mina Kimes had Field Yates on her podcast this week to discuss what offenses they believed would be in the top 10 during the 2023 season. The Lions came in at seventh on that list. Here's some of what Kimes and Yates had to say about the Lions. […]
ESPN analyst, and maybe closeted Lions fan, Mina Kimes had Field Yates on her podcast this week to discuss what offenses they believed would be in the top 10 during the 2023 season. The Lions came in at seventh on that list. Here's some of what Kimes and Yates had to say about the Lions.
"I think you and I are probably card carrying members of the Ben Johnson fan club." Yates said. Like there's a decided advantage with him as your play caller right now, for this upcoming season. It's huge."
The best thing that happened to them is there were a handful of coordinator changes. I think we talked about Vic Fangio earlier, Bill O'Brien, a couple of those moves that no matter what that team does, no matter what they do elsewhere, even acquiring Jalen Ramsey, maybe if the Patriots add DeAndre Hopkins, like the fact that they have a new coordinator in place and this specific one that they have could prove to be the most instrumental part of their growth this year. And for Detroit, it might be the fact that they didn't have to go to plan B."
Kimes and Yates are right. Keeping Ben Johnson was probably the biggest win for the Lions this offseason. That continuity goes a long way. Especially for Jared Goff who has dealt with a lot of changeover in his career. He had multiple offensive coordinators with the Rams and and is technically on his third play caller in Detroit if you count Dan Campbell taking over for Anthony Lynn in 2021.
While they briefly mentioned the additions of Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta, I think it's important to expound upon that. Gibbs is a home run hitter that the Lions can use just about everywhere on the field. The Lions will be missing Jameson Williams for the first six games of the season. Gibbs is probably going to have to pick up a lot of the slack that absence leaves behind. The good thing is that Gibbs is a tremendous receiver who can do things with that ball after the catch.
Luckily he's not the only one that can do that. Sam LaPorta displayed that he's not your average pass catching tight end at Iowa. He can flat out make guys miss and rack up yards after the catch as well. With these two weapons joining the Lions offense, Jared Goff should be able to put up some big numbers in 2023.
The Lions also have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL right now. Pro Football Focus actually ranked them as their fifth best offensive line earlier this week. Things should get even better there since the Lions will be bringing a fully healthy line into camp. The returns of Halapoulivaati Vaitai and Graham Glasgow to the Lions line gives them a big upgrade and much needed depth over what they had in 2022.
At the end of the day, none of this should come as too much of a surprise. The Lions had one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL in 2022. The Lions finished third in the league in total offensive yards and fifth in points. They mostly upgraded all over the unit this offseason and retained one of the more sought after coordinators in the league. They should be dangerous again.
Here's the full video. They talk Lions at the 49 minute mark.
Featured image by Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
